Enuresis is the medical term for the habit of bedwetting, which is a condition when a person is unable to hold back urine. This condition can occur when a person is asleep or awake.Not only in children, enuresis can also occur in adults.
In children under the age of 5 years, the habit of bedwetting is normal. This is because children at that age have not been trained to hold pee, so they tend to wet the bed easily or experience enuresis.
If the habit of wetting the bed continues until the child is over 5 years old, this condition is called primary enuresis.
In certain cases, enuresis can also occur in children and adults who were previously able to hold and control urination well. This condition of enuresis is called secondary enuresis.
The habit of bedwetting or enuresis can occur not only at night when a person is asleep, but also when a person is awake in the afternoon, morning, or evening.
Types and Causes of Enuresis
The following are some of the types and causes of enuresis in children and adults:
Enuresis in children
The cause of enuresis in children is not known with certainty. However, children tend to experience enuresis when their bladder is full while asleep or when they produce more urine than usual.
In addition, there are several factors or conditions that are also known to increase the risk of enuresis in children, for example:
- Too late to understand about toilet training
- Smaller bladder size
- Urinary tract infection
- Psychological disorders, such as stress and excessive anxiety
- Hormonal disorders
Children are also more likely to have enuresis if their parents had a history of enuresis in their childhood. This shows that genetic or hereditary factors also influence the condition of enuresis.
Enuresis in adults
Not only in children, enuresis can also occur in adults. This can happen because primary enuresis has been experienced since childhood.
However, in addition to primary enuresis, enuresis in adults can sometimes also be caused by certain conditions, such as:
- Excessive urine production
- Urinary incontinence
- Certain diseases, such as urinary tract infections and diabetes
- Hormonal disorders, such as diabetes insipidus or abnormalities in antidiuretic hormone, which plays a role in regulating the process of urination
Medical Conditions That Can Trigger Enuresis
Enuresis, both experienced by children and adults, can also be caused by certain medical conditions, such as:
- Bladder cancer
- Diseases of the prostate, such as prostate cancer or benign enlargement of the prostate gland (BPH)
- Nerve and brain disorders, eg spinal cord injury, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, or Parkinson's disease
- Prolonged constipation
- Urinary nerve disorders or neurogenic bladder
- Sleep apnea
- Decreased pelvic organs
- Bladder muscle weakness
- Blockage in the urinary tract
In addition, enuresis can also occur due to the side effects of certain drugs, such as diuretics, sedatives, and antihistamines.
Various Ways to Overcome Enuresis
Enuresis conditions that do not improve or have persisted since childhood are conditions that need to be checked by a doctor. After the doctor has determined the diagnosis of enuresis and confirmed the cause, the doctor can treat the enuresis condition with the following steps:
1. Administration of drugs
The use of drugs to treat enuresis is generally adjusted to the causative factor. For example, if the enuresis is caused by an infection, the condition will need to be treated with antibiotics. Meanwhile, if enuresis is caused by prostate disorders, doctors need to prescribe drugs to treat prostate disorders.
In addition, to treat enuresis, the doctor may also give drugs such as desmopressin and imipramine. However, these drugs are usually not recommended for use in children under 6 years of age.
2. Kegel Exercises
Enuresis that occurs due to weakened bladder muscles can be treated with bladder muscle exercises or Kegel exercises. This Kegel exercise also serves to strengthen the pelvic muscles, so that people with enuresis can control their urination function better.
3. Electrical therapy
In certain cases, enuresis may also be treated with electrical therapy. The function of this therapy is to strengthen the bladder muscles and improve nervous disorders that make a person often wet the bed.
This therapy can generally be done as part of physiotherapy to treat complaints of enuresis.
4. Operation
Surgery is generally performed in cases of enuresis that have persisted for a long time or have not improved with other treatments. Enuresis can also be done to treat enuresis due to certain conditions, such as decreased bladder, prostate cancer, or bladder cancer.
In order not to bother cleaning the bed every time you wet the bed, people with enuresis, both children and adults, can use diapers.
Whatever the cause, the condition of enuresis that does not improve or gets worse should immediately be checked by a doctor. Therefore, if you experience enuresis, do not hesitate to consult a doctor so that the doctor can examine and treat your enuresis appropriately according to the cause.
